Author: John Tillman

Links for today’s readings:

Read: 1 Samuel  17 Listen: (8:59) Read: 1 John 5 Listen: (3:00)

Scripture Focus: 1 Samuel 17.32-37

32 David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” 33 Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” 34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”

“What trouble are giants?
What’s wrong with being small?
The bigger they come
You know the harder they fall” — Rich Mullins, “What Trouble Are Giants”

Reflection: The Lord Who Rescues

By John Tillman

David and Goliath is a big story. No pun intended.

“Deconstructing” David and Goliath is popular. Some claim it is mythical, but many who accept its historicity cut the legs from underneath this giant story another way. Pun intended.

They overcomplicate it by villainizing David’s motives, or minimizing Goliath’s threat, claiming Goliath was disabled with gigantism and blind. Or they oversimplify it claiming it has one and only one message, the gospel. “We are Israel. David is Jesus. Goliath is Sin/Death.”

David and Goliath, like all scripture, “is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3.16-17) David and Goliath is as “useful” a story for adults as it it for kids and students. It doesn’t have “just one message,” but it does have a core meaning.

“This is a story out of History
About real people with a real problem
That seemed larger than life
About a God who is greater
Than all of our strife.
About a man who fought
In God’s power and might.
Who ran to the battle
And surrendered his life.”

The above opening synopsis of a rhyming, comedic depiction of 1 Samuel 17 is burned in my brain from thousands of performances (usually as Goliath) with a dramatic arts ministry based at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary during my time there.

This story is first about a God who rescues. That priority is important but not exclusive. Even “conceited” (according to his brother) David claims God will defeat Goliath, not himself. However, this story is also about a person who responds. If it was only about God, David’s brother or Saul or Jonathan, or a nameless Israelite soldier could have done it. We cannot divorce the God who rescues and the person who responds from each other without losing the meaning of each.

The story is also about a God who uses unexpected methods to gain victory in seemingly hopeless situations. David’s line, “it is not by sword or spear,” is not just theatrics. It’s real. There were only two swords among all of Israel’s soldiers and David wasn’t holding one of them. God takes the weapons of the enemy, (Goliath’s sword, the Romans’ cross, and even Death) and uses them as the tools of victory.

God alone rescues. Be a person who responds.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Love the Lord, all you who worship him; the Lord protects the faithful, but repays to the full those who act haughtily.

Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord. — Psalm 31.23-24

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summer
by Phyllis Tickle

Read more: David’s First and Last Giants

Whether through a well-thrown stone or a well-placed ally, it is God who saves us from giants.

David’s First and Last Giants

Read more: Minority Report Vindicated

Fear makes us forgetful. Hearing the story of the Anakites, the people forgot everything God had done for them.

Minority Report Vindicated

Links for today’s readings:

Read: 1 Samuel 14 Listen: (9:01) Read: 1 John 2 Listen: (4:04)

Links for this weekend’s readings:

Read: 1 Samuel 15 Listen: (5:46) Read: 1 John 3 Listen: (3:21)
Read: 1 Samuel 16 Listen: (3:45) Read: 1 John 4 Listen: (2:58)

Scripture Focus: 1 Samuel 14.3-15

12 The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.” So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.” 13 Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. 14 In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.

15 Then panic struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.

Reflection: The Godly Impatience of Jonathan

By John Tillman

Just after the disappointment of hearing Samuel tell Saul that his kingdom will not last, we get a long section of insight into Saul’s son, Jonathan, who acts when his father is passive and demonstrates wisdom when his father is foolish.

In the previous chapter, Saul failed a “Gideon-like” spiritual challenge. Saul was waiting with his army for Samuel to come offer the sacrifice. When Samuel was delayed the men became frightened and started to slip away. Saul broke God’s command in an attempt to retain more soldiers. His ungodly impatience was condemned by Samuel.

Saul ended up with only 600 men. (Twice what Gideon had.) But while Philistines advanced, established outposts, and sent raiding parties, Saul failed to meet them. In Samuel’s absence, Saul sought spiritual leadership by huddling with the grandson of disgraced leader, Phinehas, a corrupt son of Eli.

Jonathan seems to have gotten tired of waiting. His godly impatience led him to outdo Gideon’s great victory. Gideon sent the Midianites into a panic at night, through deception, with 300 men. Jonathan sent the Philistines into a similar panic in broad daylight, with an open challenge by only two men—and only one of them had a sword! After Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed about 20 soldiers, God sent an earthquake and a panic that caused the Philistines to start killing each other.

Jonathan is a sharp contrast with his father. Where Saul enacts religious appearances, Jonathan lives a fully realized faith. Where Saul seems oblivious to God’s clear instructions, Jonathan seems sensitive to God’s subtle guidance. Where Saul leads through threats and authority, Jonathan leads through cooperation and partnership. Where Saul lives by foolish oaths and decisions, Jonathan lives by wisdom and honor.

Seeing the greatness of Jonathan is a bittersweet picture of what could have been if Saul had made different choices. But Jonathan also shows us that we don’t have to wait for “leadership” to follow what God has for us. Even under a wicked king, who happened to be his father, Jonathan was faithful, brave, and honorable.

May we have a godly impatience like Jonathan. May we not allow corrupt, inept, indecisive, or hesitant leaders or peers to prevent us from doing what is right. Our family of faith, blood, or politics doesn’t have to define us and we have the freedom and responsibility to defy them when they make foolish or wicked decisions. (1 Samuel 14.28-30)

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

O Lord, I call to you; my Rock, do not be deaf to my cry; lest, if you do not hear me, I become like those who go down to the Pit. — Psalm 28.1

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summer
by Phyllis Tickle

Read more: Not So Random Acts of Kindness

When David settled into his role as the king of Israel, he turned his attention to honoring the friendship he had with Jonathan.

Not So Random Acts of Kindness

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Links for today’s readings:

Read: 1 Samuel 11 Listen: (2:43) Read: 2 Peter 3 Listen: (3:21)

Scripture Focus: 1 Samuel 11.2, 6

2 But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel.”

6 When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he burned with anger.9.14-18

Reflection: Confront the Spirit of Cruelty

By John Tillman

The city of Jabesh Gilead tried to make peace with Nahash the Ammonite. But cruelty made peace impossible.

They offered political, economic, and legal compromises—to pay tribute, surrender control, and be ruled by their opponent. But that wasn’t enough.

Perhaps Nahash disputed the border, feeling that he should have legal sovereignty over the area. Perhaps Nahash felt he was financially taken advantage of or deserved to gain an economic advantage in the region. If so, those claims were secondary. Nahash didn’t voice political or economic demands. He wanted to gouge out eyes. He wanted to cause shame, humiliation, and disgrace. Cruelty was the point.

When news reached Gibeah, they exhibited three biblically appropriate reactions to injustice and unacceptable cruelty—weeping, anger, and action.

First, weeping. Our hearts should be moved when others suffer cruelty, humiliation, and shame. Weeping includes crying out to God in prayer for justice. This is especially true when the victims are members of our community. However, Christ’s teaching does not define “neighbor” in geographical, political, ethnic, or familial terms. Christ charges us to act as neighbors, even across these borders and divisions.

Second, anger. Saul “burned with anger” after the Spirit “came powerfully upon him.” Injustice and cruelty should inspire Spirit-empowered (and controlled) anger. Expressing this anger, both in prayer to God and in critiques and challenges to fellow humans, is a vital part of seeking justice. When critiquing injustice we don’t need to “tone it down” so long as we are telling the truth and not being abusive, arrogant, or hypocritical. We want people to help stop injustice because they fear God, not because they fear us.

Third, action. Action takes risks. Saul not only took action himself, he demanded action from others. Saul defended those who were threatened and freed those held captive. He prevented shame, dishonor, and humiliation. There may be times we are powerless to stop oppressors. Even then, resistance is required. We cannot passively permit evil to easily overcome its victims. We must stand in its way, even if we fall before its advance.

One key to spotting injustice is the spirit of cruelty. This spirit spoils even the enforcement of good laws. Where cruelty rules, justice is absent and peace is impossible. Open your eyes to see injustice and be ready to weep, to burn with anger, and take action. Confront the spirit of cruelty wherever it occurs.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Morning Psalm

But as for me, this is my prayer to you, at the time you have set, O Lord:
In your great mercy, O God, answer me with your unfailing help.
Save me from the mire; do not let me sink; let me be rescued from those who hate me and out of the deep waters.
Let not the torrent of waters wash over me, neither let the deep swallow me up; do not let the Pit shut its mouth upon me.
Answer me, O Lord, for your love is kind; in your great compassion, turn to me. — Psalm 69.14-18

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summer
by Phyllis Tickle

Read more: Do Not Take Advantage

Doesn’t a meritocracy mean that winning proves I deserve it and you don’t? Doesn’t the survival of the fittest imply the elimination of the weak?

Do Not Take Advantage

Read more: Vulnerable Quartet

The “quartet of the vulnerable” is a term for those vulnerable to harm, particularly in the Bible: the widow, the orphan, the immigrant, and the poor.

Vulnerable Quartet

Links for today’s readings:

Read: 1 Samuel  10 Listen: (4:34) Read: 2 Peter 2 Listen: (3:52)

Scripture Focus: 1 Samuel 10.24-26

24 Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” Then the people shouted, “Long live the king!” 25 Samuel explained to the people the rights and duties of kingship. He wrote them down on a scroll and deposited it before the Lord. Then Samuel dismissed the people to go to their own homes. 26 Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched.

Reflection: A Sympathetic Villain Origin Story

By John Tillman

Saul’s humble beginnings sound like a hero’s. But he became a villain.

When Samuel first met him, Saul was a long way from home, broke, with no food, was indecisive, and a bit of a blunderer. Saul failed to find the donkeys he was sent to seek and was gone long enough that his father was worried about his son instead of the donkeys. Saul didn’t have much going for him in the way of kingly attributes, other than being tall and handsome, but he got the job anyway. (That usually seems to be enough, doesn’t it?)

Saul had everything he needed to be a great and heroic leader: a humble beginning, a wise mentor, willing followers, and the Spirit of God upon him. However, this sympathetic start was a villain’s origin story.

In recent decades, the entertainment industry has obsessed over sympathetic villain origin stories. Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty, Cruella de Vil from 101 Dalmatians, and Scar from The Lion King each got prequel stories explaining their motivations in a sympathetic manner. The Joker from Batman, President Snow from The Hunger Games, and Sauron from Lord of the Rings have origin stories in film or television telling how they became the villains we fear. The Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz got a full hero’s rewrite as Elphaba from Wicked.

Villain backstories done well can be cautionary tales that teach us that we are all a few bad decisions and moral compromises from villainy. Done badly, they excuse violence and become apologetics for ruthlessness and vengeance.

It’s worth examining Saul’s villain origin story as a warning to ourselves from two perspectives.

First, we must remember that villains think themselves heroes. Saul starts out “small” in his own eyes (1 Samuel 15.17) yet becomes a despot who build monuments in his own honor. (1 Samuel 15.12) The path of humility is hard and narrow. The path of pride is wide and easy.

Second, we must remember that people we trust and follow or love and mentor can become villains. I don’t think Samuel knew Saul’s destiny. At the beginning, he seemed genuinely hopeful. Someone you love right now might be on a villain’s path. Hope is good. Naiveté is not. It’s okay to be inspired and aspirational. But you need to be ready to stand in their way to confront them or tear yourself away from them.

Lord give us wisdom!

Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading

Jesus taught us, saying: “In all truth I tell you, I am the gate of the sheepfold. All who have come before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep took no notice of them. I am the gate. Anyone who enters through me will be safe: such a one will go in and out and will find pasture.” — John 10.7-9

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summer
by Phyllis Tickle

Read more: Selfish Supermen

Flawed heroes in the Bible, like Samson, do not excuse flawed leaders today.

Selfish Supermen

Read more: Don’t Empower Villain Eras

The same person who is heroic in one moment can be villainous in another.

Don’t Empower Villain Eras